Project Title:   BIODIVERSITY FINANCE INTIATIVE

Project Description

Since 2014, The United Nations Development Program through its Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) Project, has been supporting the Philippine Government in articulating the financial resources it needs to maintain a healthy biodiversity portfolio in-country. In particular, BIOFIN in collaboration with Department of Natural Resources Biodiversity Management Bureau has conducted the following: 1) Policy and Institutional Review (PIR); 2) Public and Private Biodiversity Expenditure Review (PPBER); 3) Assessment of financial needs (cost and gap analysis of implementing Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP)); and 4) a Biodiversity Finance Plan.

Based on insights gained from the results of the three BIOFIN assessments, this plan acknowledges the importance of tapping additional financing to support the biodiversity agenda of the Philippines, mainly through its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP), referred to henceforth in this Plan as the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP). This Plan is cognizant of the parallel challenges that could not be addressed by generating financing alone: thus, the Plan transcends the focus on generating additional resources and also identifies a range of “finance solutions” that leverage finance, fiscal and economic tools and strategies to improve the outcome of biodiversity objectives in the country. Financing solutions include a range of transformative actions: generating more financing to fund the PBSAP or associated planning documents; appropriate attribution of biodiversity expenditures in the budget; attaining cost effective budget execution by eradicating overlaps in biodiversity functions; eradicating expenditures that continue to or aggravate dissipation of biodiversity resources; and paving the groundwork for a responsive policy environment through greater awareness on biodiversity and biodiversity financing and enhancing institutional support towards monitoring of PBSAP.

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Manager shall directly supervise the Lead Consultant and approve his/her output.

The Lead Consultant is expected to liaise/interact/collaborate/meet with the national and global (as necessary) BIOFIN project team, DENR BMB and UNDP.  As needed, the project staff shall provide administrative assistance to her/him in order for her/him to accomplish all requirements.

Outputs will be submitted to UNDP and BMB through the Project Manager . The project staff including other project consultants, as well as, relevant technical staff shall provide comment on the outputs of the consultant.

Duration of the Work

The expected duration of work is 185 days spread over 1 year. 

Within 2 weeks of the consultant’s submission of his/her outputs to the Project Manager and Sr. Technical Adviser shall provide their comments.  Should there be further comments, the revised output shall be submitted within a week.  Should there be no comments, the Project Manager shall endorse the consultant’s output/s for approval.

Duty Station

The Lead Consultant is not expected to report on a daily basis to the Project Management Office based in BMB in Quezon City but shall be available on an on-call basis.  

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The financial proposals from possible candidates should be expressed in lump sum amount inclusive of all financial costs related to this engagement (i.e. transportation/travel to and from residence-Manila and/or within Metro Manila, transportation/travel to outside of Metro Manila, supplies & materials, reproduction, communications including internet).  Travel expenses to project-related meetings and workshops outside of Metro Manila shall be paid for by the Project.

The Payment terms are as follows:

The Biodiversity Finance Plan identified finance solutions that will:a) increase funding for biodiversity among national agencies; b) increase revenues for local governments; c) engage the citizenry; d) engage the private sector.The Lead Consultant under the supervision of the Program Manager and Senior Technical Advisor will:

• Ensure sustained funding for the investment program for protected areas by (i) liaising with Congress and DENR on budget allocations for fiscal year 2021 and beyond; (ii) assisting BMB in monitoring of implementation of investment program and finance needs; (iii) providing inputs to Year of the Pas campaign, specifically on strategies to increase PA revenues; and (iv) prepare status report pertaining to items i to iii;
• In collaboration with local NGO partners, assist the LGUs of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental in the finalization and eventual implementation of at least 2 finance solutions;
• Support in the expenditure review in regions CALABARZON, 9, 12, and Aurora Province; 
• Complete the scoping study on impact investment and assist in the design of projects contributing to PBSAP goals including investments required from government sources,   
• Provide technical support to capacity building activities on the BIOFIN methodology within the BMB and to other partners;
• Ensure horizontal contributions/review of the different BIOFIN experts’ outputs and reports;
• Lead capturing and documenting of lessons from BIOFIN project implementation and make recommendations to the Project Board for more effective implementation;
• Contribute to the IEC component of the project and continue partnership work with key government agencies;
• Attend relevant project meetings and workshops/exercises; and
• Submit report/s as may be required by UNDP and BMB.

Corporate competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional and technical competencies

• Ability to work in a diverse and multi-cultural environment;
• Self-motivated and ability to work under pressure and to meet strict and competing deadlines;
• Displays analytical judgment and demonstrated ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;

Offers will be evaluated based on combined scoring method :

• Technical qualifications = 70%
• Financial Proposal =    30%

For the evaluation of the Technical Proposal, the selection of the successful consultant must be based in the following qualifications (with the appropriate obtainable points):

Applicants who will only receive 70 points  from the assessment of the CV and Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment will be qualified for the assessment of the Financial Proposal.

Recommended Presentation of Offer

Offerors must upload in one (1) file the documents below:

You may download the editable version of the Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability for the IC by clicking on this link: http://gofile.me/6xdJm/bE9TCw8fU

1. Duly accomplished Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability for the IC that indicates the all-inclusive lumpsum contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided; If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP;
2. Financial Proposal (Annex 2 of Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability)
3. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
4. Proposed Methodology on REMB Data Warehouse and Management Information System.

In view of the volume of applications UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.